murray



(No Model.) 4 SheetsSheet 1.

O. H. MURRAY.

HYDRAULIC OPERATING MECHANISM FOR ORDNANGE. No. 377,905. Patented Feb.14, 1888.

(K0 Model.) 4 SheetsSheet G. H. MURRAY.

HYDRAULIC OPERATING MECHANISM FOR ORDNANCE.

No. 377,905. Patented Feb. 14, 1888.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3. G. H. MURRAY.

HYDRAULIC OPERATING MECHANISM FOR ORDNANOE. P10371905.

l n 8 n 8 w I I. I 4 1 AN J. n 1 1D I. n e H M I e t n n e t a n P nflliilil n u n h 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

HYDRAULIC OPERATING MECHANISM FOR ORDNANGE. No. 377,905.-

(No Model.)

MURRAY.

Batentedf'eb. 14, 1888;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFF CE,

CHARLES H. MURRAY, OF N EVCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, EN GLAND, ASSIGNOR TO W. G.ARMSTRONG, MITCHELL & 00., (LIMITED,) OF SAME PLACE.

HYDRAULIC OPE'RATING MECHANISM FOR ORDNANCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 377.905, datedFebruary 14, i888. Application filed J line 15, 1887. Serial No.241,381. (No model.) Patented in Italy December 31 1886,No. 20,755.

To 12% whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, CHARLES HENRY MUR- RAY, of The Elswick \Vorks,Newcastle-upon- Tyne, England, engineer, a subject of the Queen of GreatBritain, have invented certain new and useful Improved Means forControlling Hydraulic Apparatus Used for Elevating Heavy Guns, (forwhich a patent has been ob-" tained in Italy, dated December 31, 1886,No. 20,755,) of which the following is a specificatiOn. v 4

In hydraulic apparatus for controlling the elevation given to heavy gunsI fit a small D- valve to pass the water to andfrom' theelevatiiigcylinder, and so arranged that the D- valve having been openedby hand-gear is shut by the action of the sighting-gear shafts,whichmove always in exact accord with the elevating-gear; or a separate trainof gear might be provided for the valve-closing mechanism. Todothislfitto each sighting-shafts. worm-wheel, into which a short wormcarried on a shaft connected with the spindle of the D-valvc can gear.The said worm-shaft is turned by handgear, and the worm-wheel, not beingable to turn the shaft with the worm upon-it, moves longitudinally inits bearings and carries the D-valve with it. The valve passes water toor from the elevating-cylinder, which, in making its stroke, carries thesighting-shafts round and so turns the worm-wheel. Bythis movement theworm-shaft is again moved longitudinally, and the D-valve is therebyclosed. The advantage of this arrangementis, thata definite movement ofthe hand-wheel will be followed by a certain movement of theelevating-gear and of the gun and sights, and it will not be necessaryto attend to the stopping of the movement, as the gear will stop itself.This arrangement is particularly for use for fine laying of the guns atthe sighting-station, and as it will be necessary to have additionalvalves to quickly bring the guns to loading positions, and as theseother valves will elfcct a movement of thesighting-shaft, I provide forthe sighting-shaft moving without breaking the worm or worm-wheel byattaching the wormwheel to the sighting-shaft by a frietion coupling,which will slip when an undue strain 50 comes upon it.

The drawings hereunto annexed show elevathas a worm, R, upon it.

ing-gear for heavy guns arranged as above described.

Figure l is a side elevation, mainly in section, of a revol ing turretin which is a guumounting fitteu with the elevating-gear; and Fig. 2 isa plan view of the same. Figs. 1 and 2 are parts of Figs. 1 and 2 on alarger scale.

A is the ordinary slide, along which the guncarriage B recoils when thegun is tired. The slide is pivoted at its forward end on a horizontaljoint, A, and its rear end is'support'ed by the ram 0 of the hydrauliccylinder D. The required elevation is given to the gun by allowing waterunder pressure to pass to or cs cape from the cylinder.

E is a toothed rack on the under side of the gun-slide. It gears with atoothed wheel, F, and gives motion by way of a toothed Wheel to atransverse shaft, G. On this shaft is a pin- 0 ion, H, which gears witha toothed rack on the sight bar, I, which indicates the elevation whichhas been given to the gun.

K is a slide-valve for controlling the admission of water to or itsescape from the cylinder D. Water under pressure passes to thevalvechamber through the pipe L. When the valve is shifted endwise inone direction, the water is free to pass from the valve through the pipeM to the cylinder, and when the valve isshifted 8o endwise in theopposite direction water is free to pass away from the cylinder and toescape through the pipe N. The shifting endwise of the valve in one orthe other direction is effected by its being coupled at O to an'upward-8 ly-projecting shaft, P, which is not only free to turnin eitherdirection in its bearings, but also to move endwise through them. Theshaft This gears with a worm-wheel, S, fixed upon the shaft G. When theshaft is turned by its hand-wheel T, the shaft is moved endwise in itsbearings, as the wheel S is not free to turn. As it moves endwise itcarries the slide-valve K along with it, and either allows water to passto the cylinder or to escape from it. This causes the transverse shaftG, and consequently the wheel S,

to be revolved, and as it turns it draws the worm R, shaftP, and valve Kback into their former position, and again closes all passage of waterto or from the cylinder.

In thedrawings I have shown one tram of gearwheels as being used notonly for closing I the valve, but also for actuating the automaticsighting-gear; but it is not essential that this should be so. Aseparate train of gear might be provided for the valve-closingmechanism.

Having now particularly described and as? certained the nature of mysaid invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declarethat what I claim is-'- 1. The combination of thefront pivotedgunslide,the snpporti ng ram and cylinder beneath the gun-slide forvertically adjusting it at rear, the pipes and valve controlling thepassage of liquid to and from the cylinder, the transverse shaft beneaththe gun-slide and between its pivot and the a ram, the gear connectingthe gun-slide with the transverse shaft, the wormwheel fixed onthisshaft, the endwise-inoving shaft adapted to be turned in eitherdirection and coupled with the controlling-valve, and the worm on thisshaft engaging the ,wormwheel on the transverse shaft, substantially asand for the purpose set forth. H

2. The combination of the front pivoted gunslide, the supporting ram andcylinderbeneath the gun-slide for vertically adjusting it at rear,

"hand 'to open the pipes and valve controlling liquid to and from thecylinder, gearing operating the controlling-valve and connected with thegun-slide, which gearing is actuated by the valve and automaticallyactuated to: close the valve, and the sight-bar,

the passage of also gear-connected with the gun slide, sub

stantially as and for the purpose setforth.

3. Thecombi nation ofthe front pivoted gunslide, the supporting ram andcylinder beneath the gun-slide for vertically adj ustingit at rear,

thepipes and valve controllingthe passage of liquid 'to and from thecylinder, the downwardly-projecting rack of the gumslide, the

transverse shaft actuated by said rack zand having thevvorn'r-wheel, theendwise-moving shaft coupled with 'the controlling-valve and,

having the'wormengagingwith said worm wheel, and the sight-bar gearedwith the transpose set forth.

' V p 7 (1H. MURRAY.

Witnesses: V

Y T. PURVIS,

WM. J omv GREY,

Notary Public.

.45 verse shaft, substantially as and for the puri

